diff --git a/modules/viz/src/widget.cpp b/modules/viz/src/widget.cpp
index c39ae1a803..ce933ed0d8 100644
--- a/modules/viz/src/widget.cpp
+++ b/modules/viz/src/widget.cpp
@@ -286,6 +286,10 @@ cv::Affine3d cv::viz::Widget3D::getPose() const
 {
     vtkProp3D *actor = vtkProp3D::SafeDownCast(WidgetAccessor::getProp(*this));
     CV_Assert("Widget is not 3D." && actor);
+    if (!actor->GetUserMatrix())
+    {
+        return Affine3d(); // empty user matrix, return an identity transform.
+    }
     return Affine3d(*actor->GetUserMatrix()->Element);
 }